Shaine
A masculine name of Irish and English origin meaning "God is gracious".
Name Census estimates that about 1,192 living Americans carry the first name Shaine. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 82.0% of registrations being male. The average person named Shaine today is around 33 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Shaine births was 1987 (50 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Shaine. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
1.2K
~ 1 in 287,546 Americans
Peak year
1987
50 babies that year
Average age
33
years old
2024 SSA rank
#13,869
Tracked since 1969
Gender
Gender distribution for Shaine
Shaine leans heavily male at 82.0% of total registrations, but 222 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Shaine as a male name
- Ranked #13,869 in 2024
- 5 male births in 2024
- Peak: 1987 (39 births)
Shaine as a female name
- Ranked #16,534 in 2012
- 6 female births in 2012
- Peak: 1997 (13 births)
Popularity
Shaine: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Shaine from the 1960s through to the 2020s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 353 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Shaine by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Shaine during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Shaines live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. California, New York, Pennsylvania recorded the most babies named Shaine, while Pennsylvania, New York, California recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 14 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Shaine
The name Shaine is believed to have originated from the Gaelic language, which is a branch of the Celtic languages spoken in Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man. The name is thought to be derived from the Gaelic word "sean," which means "old" or "ancient."
In ancient Celtic culture, the name Shaine was likely used to signify respect for elders or to indicate a connection to the past. The name may have been given to children in the hope that they would grow to embody the qualities of wisdom and experience associated with old age.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Shaine can be found in Irish folklore and mythology. In the tale of the Children of Lir, a character named Shaine is described as a wise and revered druid who helps break a curse placed on the four children of the king.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Shaine. One of the most famous was Shaine O'Connor (1180-1240), an Irish king who ruled over the Kingdom of Connacht in the 13th century. He was known for his military prowess and his efforts to resist the Norman invasion of Ireland.
Another prominent individual named Shaine was Shaine MacLean (1570-1635), a Scottish clan chief and military leader who fought in the Thirty Years' War. He is remembered for his bravery and loyalty to the Scottish Crown.
In the realm of literature, Shaine O'Brien (1720-1790) was an Irish poet and writer whose works celebrated the beauty of the Irish landscape and the resilience of the Irish people. His poetry was popular during the Romantic era and helped to preserve the cultural heritage of Ireland.
In more recent times, Shaine Grimes (1910-1988) was an Irish-American actor known for his roles in numerous Hollywood films, including "The Quiet Man" and "The Searchers." He was celebrated for his ability to portray complex and nuanced characters with depth and sensitivity.
These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals throughout history who have borne the name Shaine. While the name may have ancient roots, its legacy has endured, representing a connection to the past and a respect for the wisdom that comes with age.
People
Shaine + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Shaine as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with S
Other first names starting with S with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Shaine: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Shaine?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,192 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Shaine going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 287,546 US residents.
Is Shaine a common name?
We classify Shaine as "Rare". It ranks above 91.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,235 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Shaine most popular?
The single biggest year for Shaine was 1987, when 50 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Shaine is about 33 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Shaine a male name?
Yes, 82.0% of people registered as Shaine in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.